


It's Definitely the Eyes

by narrymestyles



Category: One Direction (Band)
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-03-12
Updated: 2013-03-12
Packaged: 2017-12-05 02:54:15
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,630
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/718046
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/narrymestyles/pseuds/narrymestyles
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>And the eyes- he’d missed the usual wonder that swam in the ocean-blue irises this morning because they had been replaced with an icy current and he was determined to bring it back because when Nialls eyes shine the way they usually do who needs the sun and today was, infact, a gloomy day to begin with so with the absence of a biological, planetary sun Zayn really needed Nialls brilliant eyes.</p>
            </blockquote>





	It's Definitely the Eyes

“No, it’s the eyes- it’s definitely the eyes.” Front teeth grinding precariously into his plump, lower lip, eyebrows furrowing together in frustration, he scrutinized the portrait in front of him, pencil-head tapping in a steady thrum against the wooden table. He looked up at Niall for a second to read the boys face, but his expression was stone-cold and bare, glance staring fixedly on the pencil-drawn sketch before him. 

“Niall?” His voice quavered a bit, thrown off by the Irish boys hostility.

“Yes, sorry, no it looks fine.” He flashed a smile at Zayn, almost all traces of his previous expression erased except an ounce of an emotion Zayn couldn’t decode that swam unlawfully in his cerulean eyes, and even though his words were convincing enough, Zayn didn’t believe him.

“You okay Ni?” His voice was cautious, careful.

“Yeah, sorry, I was just captivated by how good it is- listen Z I gotta run, said I’d catch up with Sean for lunch but I’ll see you later” The words were rushed, meaningless, and before Zayn could respond the door was already swinging shut and the only traces of someone else in the room was the responding thrust of wind that curled around Zayn’s body when Niall hastily made his exit. He dropped his pencil and picked up the sketchpad, holding it in front of his face and sighing. If he erased the eyes one more time, the eraser smudge would never leave the paper and that’ll be even worse because he wouldn’t want Harrys beautiful face ruined by eye-bags left over from the rubber at the end of his pencil. No, these eyes would just have to do. On a happier note, he was almost ecstatic with how well his smile had turned out, stark white teeth almost glistening against the heavy shading of his full lips, left side a twinge higher than the right and a heart shaped crease at the tip of his upper lip; a crooked smile shining disdainfully at him from a sketchpad. His smile faded, however, when he remembered Niall and his solemn eyes and downturned mouth and was about to reach for his phone when a curly haired boy with dancing emerald eyes walked through the doorway.

“Heyy man I- WOW you sure that’s me because I don’t think I look that good in real life?” He picked up the black, canvas sketchpad and his eyes glimmered as he speculated the drawing, a perfect replicate of his perfect features and he stared, stunned, at his friends capability. “Zayn man, this is amazing, honestly, wow.”

And Zayn smiled because there was nothing better than impressing people with things you created all by yourself, especially the person it’s based around but the smile didn’t quite reach his eyes and a little bit of worry was hidden beneath the amber-gold. 

“Thanks but I should really be thanking your face if we’re honest.”

Harry laughed, a golden chiming laugh that echoed through the room and the delight was clear in his forest-green eyes because is there anything better than your best friend drawing you so perfectly you almost feel proud to be yourself? 

“But that’d be weird.” 

He was about to add something to his statement when his phone started buzzing so he changed the course of his thoughts and gave Zayn a quick hug goodbye before hitting the sliding the green answer arrow and leaving the room and Zayn alone to the resounding echo of his mind.

Finally, after what seemed like 2 hours but was really no less than 10 seconds he closed the sketchpad and put it inside the second drawer of his table along with his pencil and eraser and left his apartment, locking the door behind him. He had the faintest inkling that Niall really had no plans with Sean and was probably in his room, brooding about whatever it was that was bothering him and Zayn wouldn’t rest until he saw that smile light up the Irish lads face the way it usually does because Zayns day just isn’t the same without it. And the eyes- he’d missed the usual wonder that swam in the ocean-blue irises this morning because they had been replaced with an icy current and he was determined to bring it back because when Nialls eyes shine the way they usually do who needs the sun and today was, infact, a gloomy day to begin with so with the absence of a biological, planetary sun Zayn really needed Nialls brilliant eyes. 

“Niall?” Three careful knocks against the painted wood, his face reflecting back at him through the viewhole. 

He tried again.

“Nialler?”

And he was about to give up and walk away when he heard a soft shuffle of feet on the other side of the supposed-to-be-soundproof-but-clearly-isn’t door; socked feet contacting the fluffy carpet in cautious steps.

“Zayn?” The door opened to a surprised Niall, decked out in sweatpants and an old concert t-shirt, hair ruffled and eyes slightly blotchy. 

“I thought you were going to lunch with Sean?” He asked questioningly, although he knew this wasn’t true or he wouldn’t be standing where he was.

“Yeah, and I thought you’d believed me?” Zayn wasn’t sure if Niall was playing with him, joking around or whether he was serious because looking into those eyes there was no emotion there- just empty and blue. 

“Clearly we both thought wrong, can I come in?” They were bandmates; usually Zayn didn’t even have toask before entering any of their apartments, especially Niall’s- he could drill a hole in the side of the wall to creep through and as long as it didn’t wake him up Niall wouldn’t care. But today, Niall didn’t answer, his tongue caught in hesitation and Zayn couldn’t think to the life of him why the Irish boy was being this way and searched desperately for an answer in his eyes but he found none except that Niall wasn’t okay and something was wrong and he didn’t know what it was. 

“Yeah, sure” he finally uttered, leaving the door open and heading to his kitchen, bee-lining to the sink to fill himself a glass of water. Closing the door behind him and securing the chain, Zayn followed and sat on the couch opposite, waiting for the Irish boy to join him. 

“Now tell me, what in the hell is wrong Ni?” He blurted the question with steadfast ferocity but the younger boy wasn’t caught off guard- he’d known why Zayn was here the minute he ‘d knocked on the door. His eyes shuffled uncomfortably, placing themselves on anything in the room except for Zayns, whose he could feel boring little holes into his own. 

“N-nothing, why would you even think that?” he stuttered, still not making eye contact.

“For all the things I am, it’s not stupid. You can talk to me Nialler, it’s just me.” He reached out a hand and placed it over Nialls, rubbing his thumb in soothing circles over the back of his hand and scooting closer towards him. 

Niall closed his eyes in resignation and let out a hefty sigh, his chest expanding rapidly in his doing. 

“I just- no, it’s stupid.”

“I promise you it’s not.”

“Really- it, I can’t Zayn, you’ll laugh.” 

Zayn brought his other hand up to the blonde boys chin and lifted it slowly until cerulean blue were staring into molten amber. He could see the moisture sitting in droplets on his golden eyelashes, could hear the unshed tears in his voice.

“Try me.”

He sighed again, louder this time, looking at the ceiling to find the right words.

“It’s just, why did you- you know, choose to- why- when you picked- I just-I”

Zayn’s eyes didn’t waver; they kept steady on Nialls uncomfortable pupils until he finished his sentence.

“I know he’s better looking and has a brighter smile and nicer hair but I really thought we had something more, special and I just- why did you draw Harry and not me?” the words were softer than a whisper and faster than a runaway train, and it was so not what Zayn was expecting that he was slightly taken aback. 

“I knew it was stupid I shouldn’t have said I” he mumbled, looking down at his lap, readying himself to get up and leave the couch, but Zayns hand was still on top of his and he caught a hold of the younger boys’ wrist before he could move and pulled him back down. He moved closer, close enough that their noses were nearly touching and foreheads were in line and the only thing in either of their lines of vision were each others eyes.

“Because, Niall- I can draw the sun and the moon and the stars and I can draw a fizzy-haired girl dressed in a Cinderella costume playing with balloons on her 7th birthday and a dog shaking off the muddy water after it’s chased a ball into a lake and I can draw forlorn houses in the middle of mushy farmlands but I can’t draw perfect. Because perfect can’t be grazed by dark lead onto cream paper and crooked teeth and blinding smiles can’t shine on it’s rough edges and the eyes- I can’t draw those eyes.”

And a silent smile crept its way up the Irish boys lips and his eyes finally began to capture that twinkle that usually had Zayns heart fluttering in his chest and before Niall could say anything or do anything Zayns lips were pressed on his in tender fascination and his hands strayed around the blondes unkempt hair and when they pulled apart in breathless wonder Zayn moved back only for a second to dive into those starfilled orbs and whisper:

“The eyes- it’s definitely the eyes.”

**Author's Note:**

> just a oneshot i wrote on my ipod while i was on the treadmill so it really isn't that great im sorry :( haha x


End file.
